If you’re wondering what is the best tea to start with, the first thing is to know what types of tea are there.
But first, it’s important to understand exactly what qualifies a beverage as “tea.”
When tea lovers use the word tea, they usually refer to each of the varieties that are produced from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant.
There are 6 great varieties of tea: green tea (the best known), white tea, black and oolong tea or blue tea, red tea or Pu Erh, and yellow tea.
Within these varieties, different types differ by characteristics, origin, and flavor.
Let’s talk about some of them and then let us know what you think.
Related article: What tea to drink instead of coffee for breakfast?
If you’re one of those who don’t like tea or don’t like infusions, chances are you just haven’t found the right flavor for you yet.
Think that after water, tea is the second most achieved drink in the world and its health benefits are more than proven.
To get you to like tea, you need to pay attention to many factors. As you have seen, there are many possible combinations with their different flavor notes and the quality of each of the ingredients is also key.
What Is The Best Tea to Start With?
If you want to substitute tea for coffee, start with black tea.
If you are looking to stop drinking many cups of coffee a day and alternate with tea, or replace it, you are used to intense flavors.
The ideal, in this case, is to start with a strong black tea, it will suit you for its flavor and because it has more theine.
You can choose a pure black tea with a little milk, or one flavored like Earl Grey. It’s a matter of trying and choosing the one you like the most.
Another option is to try infusions. In this list, you will find both infusions with good flavor, as well as the best infusions for your health.
To make infusions you can use both plants and roots, with opposite flavors such as refreshing mint tea and relaxing chamomile tea.
If you like spicy, ginger tea is ideal, if what you want is energy, you can opt for the famous yerba mate.
Remember that you can mix all the plants and roots you want in each infusion, and you can take it both hot and cold.
Keep in mind that they do not contain caffeine.
Not only teas, but infusions also help us to provide our body with substances with sedative, stimulating, relaxing or therapeutic properties.
It is usually called infusion to drinks that contain dehydrated fruits, flowers, spices, or herbs and that do not come from the tea plant.
The benefits they bring are multiple, depending on what it is.
Related article: 10 Best Teas to Drink in the Morning, A Morning Tea Guide!
Does tea have more caffeine than coffee?
Fun fact: did you know that the concentration of caffeine in coffee beans is 1-2%, while tea leaves contain 3% caffeine?
That said, it might seem that tea provides more caffeine than coffee.
But since tea spends less time in hot water and less tea than coffee is used to brew a cup, in the vast majority of cases, a cup of tea provides less caffeine than a cup of coffee.
People sensitive to caffeine should be aware that any variety of “normal” tea (the one that comes from the camellia Sinensis plant) contains caffeine.
Also caffeinated is any mixture that contains some tea, be it white, green, oolong, Pu-Erh, or black tea.
Related article: The 12 best teas for more energy.
How to Make Tea.
The difference between a tea you like and a tea you don’t like can be both in the ingredients you use and in their preparation.
What you are going to see below are the general rules for preparing a cup of tea as it should be.
Each variety of tea (as we mentioned above), herbs, and roots has an ideal temperature and infusion time.
You should see the specific instructions for each of them.
However, there are 3 factors to take into account when preparing tea whether you are a beginner or an expert: Type of tea, Temperature, and Infusion time.
By following these rules, you’ll be prepared to start experimenting. Remember that an additional rule is that you can invent your own rules.
Water.
Tap water contains additives that can ruin the taste, while distilled water can make it too flat.
The best option is to filter the running water or use bottled spring water.
Remember that not all bottled waters are created equal. Try different types to see which one works best.
After quality ingredients, the most important step to getting a good cup of tea is to get the right water temperature.
Not all teas should be brewed at the same temperature and this step may have its trick at first.
Depending on the method you use to boil the water, it will be more complicated or simpler.
Temperature for each type of tea.
White tea: 85-112 F
Green Tea: 103—112 F
Oolong tea: 112—194 F
Pu-Erh: 212 F
Black tea: 212 F
Herbal Tisanes: 212 F
Infusion Time
White tea: 1-2 minutes
Green tea: 1-2 minutes
Oolong tea: 2-3 minutes
Pu-Erh: 2-3 minutes
Black tea: 3-5 minutes
Herbal Tisanes: 5 minutes or more
Related article: 8 Things You Must Know About White Tea Benefits.
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE. This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may make a small commission — at no extra charge to you- from any purchases made using them. For more info click here.
Thanks a million.
Disclaimer: This content, including advice, provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your doctor for more information. MYTEASHACK.COM does not claim responsibility for this information.